Sgt. Alvin York
Alvin York was drafted into Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Somehow this pacifist Corporal earned the Medal of Honor for practically defeating the German army single-handedly (based on his telling of events). Many of those who served with him (including his commanding Sergeant) have a different view. Sgt. Alvin York's (Fictional) Account As Recorded on Wikipedia. During an attack by his battalion to capture German positions along the Decauville rail-line north of Chatel-Chéhéry, France, on October 8, 1918, York's actions earned him the Medal of Honor. He recalled: : The Germans got us, and they got us right smart. They just stopped us dead in our tracks. Their machine guns were up there on the heights overlooking us and well hidden, and we couldn’t tell for certain where the terrible heavy fire was coming from... And I'm telling you they were shooting straight. Our boys just went down like the long grass before the mowing machine at home. Our attack just faded out... And there we were, lying down, about halfway across valley and those German machine guns and big shells getting us hard. Under the command of Sergeant Bernard Early, four non-commissioned officers, including recently promoted Cpl. York, and thirteen privates were ordered to infiltrate behind the German lines to take out the machine guns. The group worked their way behind the Germans and overran the headquarters of a German unit, capturing a large group of German soldiers who were preparing a counter-attack against the U.S. troops. Early's men were contending with the prisoners when machine gun fire suddenly peppered the area, killing six Americans: Corp. Murray Savage, and Pvts. Maryan E. Dymowski, Ralph E. Weiler, Fred Waring, William Wins and Walter E. Swanson, and wounding three others, Sgt. Early, Corp. William S. Cutting (aka Otis B. Merrithew), and Pvt. Mario Muzzi. The fire came from German machine guns on the ridge. The loss of the nine put Corporal York in charge of the seven remaining U.S. soldiers, Pvts. Joseph Kornacki, Percy Beardsley, Feodor Sok, Thomas G. Johnson, Michael A. Saccina, Patrick Donohue, and George W. Wills. As his men remained under cover, guarding the prisoners, York worked his way into position to silence the German machine guns. York recalled: : And those machine guns were spitting fire and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful. And the Germans were yelling orders. You never heard such a racket in all of your life. I didn't have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush... As soon as the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them. There were over thirty of them in continuous action, and all I could do was touch the Germans off just as fast as I could. I was sharp shooting... All the time I kept yelling at them to come down. I didn't want to kill any more than I had to. But it was they or I. And I was giving them the best I had. During the assault, six German soldiers in a trench near York charged him with fixed bayonets. York had fired all the rounds in his M1917 Enfield rifle, but drew his .45 Colt automatic pistol and shot all six soldiers before they could reach him. German First Lieutenant Paul Jürgen Vollmer, commander of the First Battalion, 120th Landwehr Infantry, emptied his pistol trying to kill York while he was contending with the machine guns. Failing to injure York, and seeing his mounting losses, he offered in English to surrender the unit to York, who accepted. By the end of the engagement, York and his seven men marched 132 German prisoners back to the American lines. His actions silenced the German machine guns and were responsible for enabling the 328th Infantry to renew its attack to capture the Decauville Railroad. York was promptly promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism. A few months later, following a thorough investigation, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, presented to York by the commanding general of the American Expeditionary Force, General John J. Pershing. The French Republic awarded him the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honor. Italy awarded him its Croce di Guerra al Merito and Montenegro its War Medal. He eventually received nearly 50 decorations. His Medal of Honor citation reads: : After his platoon suffered heavy casualties and 3 other noncommissioned officers had become casualties, Cpl. York assumed command. Fearlessly leading 7 men, he charged with great daring a machine gun nest which was pouring deadly and incessant fire upon his platoon. In this heroic feat the machine gun nest was taken, together with 4 officers and 128 men and several guns. Of his deeds, York said to his division commander, General Julian Robert Lindsey, in 1919: "A higher power than man power guided and watched over me and told me what to do." Pvt. Nick Weber's Account As Recorded by Patricia Weber 1893 – 1976 Nick Weber This is Grandpa Weber’s story about Sargent York at the battle of Argonne forest in NE France in WWI, St. Juvin in Oct. 1918 where Reinhard Pump was killed. It was for Grandpa’s bravery as a stretcher bearer that the French Officer recommend to someone in the U.S. command above his officer in charge that he receive the Distinguished Service Cross. Grandpa said that he and Reinhard Pump were the only Americans in his company. His commander and company were made up of southerners, and Italian immigrants who had not taken out citizenship papers. When ever the camp moved, he and Reinhard had clean up duty, and were the last ones to move with their unit. Clarence (Weber - Nick's son) found a map of this battle with dates, etc., also an X to mark the spot where Reinhard Pump was killed, and an X where Sgt. York was during the battle. Grandpa said that he (Sgt York) had hung back, and didn’t advance with his unit. He said, if he (Sgt York) had been with his unit, he would have been killed. Grandpa also said that Sgt. York was going from one unit to another to get signatures so he could get a Distinguished Cross. They (Nick's fellow soldiers) would have killed him (Sgt York) if they could have caught him, but he jumped over a wagon and on his motorcycle to get away from them. After the army went through the area, Germans left behind hiding in barns and buildings in the area captured by the Americans, came out one evening while Reinhard Pump and Grandpa Weber were outside of their camp without weapons. Reinhard Pump could talk German to them. The Germans were afraid of what would happen to them as prisoners. Reinhard Pump told them where to go to turn themselves in, and that as prisoners they would have good treatment. The reason that Sgt. York allegedly captured all the Germans single handly was, he was behind the lines, as were these Germans who had been left behind, and the Germans came out with their hands up looking to surrender to an American. See Sgt. York's Story in May 2000 issue of “Good Old Days Magazine". Sgt. Kevin Early's Account As recorded by John Carusone in the Hamden Daily News April 11, 2007 The Early Experience, Part I By John Carusone “It didn’t happen that way.” So said Hamden World War I hero Bernard Early to his granddaughter Karen, daughter of Early’s son, Jack. Yesterday I met Karen, now Karen Scott, her son, Robert, and Kevin Early, son of Charles Early. They had contacted me a while ago based on a column I wrote that debunked the tale of Tennessee soldier Alvin York. Later, New York Times reporter Craig Smith did a similar piece which clearly showed the inconsistency of York’s version of that day in 1918. Some Tennessee professors later claimed they had found the exact spot where York’s heroics took place because they found pistol shells where York said he had killed many Germans. Those shells proved nothing other than York had fired his pistol and probably did kill some Germans. What those shells don’t prove is how York singlehandedly captured or killed 152 Germans and silenced between 35 and 52 machine gun nests. I’m going to do two columns on this issue because of the interest this case is now generating after so many years. Let’s destroy the first myth. York was not a sergeant then. He was a corporal. Early was not a corporal. He was a sergeant and York reported to him. Let’s discuss the political and social climate of 1918 to put the entire incident in perspective. I believe there are four major reasons that the Army initially chose to ignore Early. First was that draftees of that period were largely uneducated. Public school for most was limited to a few years of primary education with no high school at all. As draftees they were commanded by officers, college-trained and upper class. There was no middle class then, only upper and lower. They were easily convinced to accept the officers' and Army’s points of view on all military matters. They would not challenge the system. Second, there was tremendous prejudice in America against the Irish.”Irish need not apply “ was a favorite saying at that time. Let’s not forget that our ally Britain hated the Irish whether they were homeland Irish or American Irish. The Sinn Fein had opposed British Home Rule so on Easter Sunday 1916, they expected German help to invade Dublin. Britain had also attempted to begin conscription in Ireland. Britain got word of the plot and arrested and executed many of the leaders. I can’t believe that Britain would have stood idly by while an Irishman was honored for war heroics. Third, Early was Catholic at a time when there was tremendous anti-Catholic sentiment. Fourth, there was opposition to America’s entry into World War I. A hero was needed. York fit that bill, Early did not. York, a Protestant, was more acceptable. The Army hierarchy was mainly Protestant. York, a former conscientious objector, said he spoke directly to God who said it was “OK to kill Germans.” Next week I am going to delve into some of the many inconsistencies of York’s fabricated story. Stay tuned. John Carusone was mayor of Hamden from 1987-1991, assistant school super from '69-'82 and a legislative councilor from '65-'69. The Hamden native is now retired but stays active in town affairs -- and has a lot to say about them. (Note: The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Hamden Daily News.) ---- Early Part II By John Carusone There are so many contradictions that exist between Corporal York’s story and the actual facts of the situation that it would take another movie to correct the public perception of York’s version of events that day. According to reporter Craig Smith of The New York Times, York said he led a patrol to outflank the heavy frontal German positions. Not true. The patrol was led by Sgt. Bernard Early. His platoon was ordered to commence the flanking attack. In Legion Magazine in1968, and in the book “The Doughboys,” by Laurence Stallings, he goes even further commending Early with the following comment, “ There was nothing suicidal or ill timed about Early’s essay in minor tactics. It was not only classic it was as native as the Republic itself.” The foray led to the first battle of the day. Early and his men came upon 30 German soldiers and a battle ensued in which 15 to 18 of the Germans were killed or wounded. The rest surrendered which began the capitulation of all the German forces. Early was wounded six times in the firefight but remained in control until he could be evacuated. York was unscathed during the entire battle. Another participant in the battle named William Cutting told another contradictory story about York’s version. Cutting’s real name was Otis Merrithew. He claimed that the eventual German surrender was when the German major handed him (Merrithew) his luger pistol. This was viewed by the entire company. York had claimed it was he who took the surrender. Merrithew told the following story: “York had continued to object to fighting and it worried him (Merrithew) that as they advanced through murderous fire York had hesitated at killing the enemy in a few of our prior battles and during training at Camp Gordon he had been in jail more than he had been out because of his pacifist views.York and Sgt. Early had fought over the subject of killing. York had continued on about the foolishness of war until Bernie Sgt. Early threatened to blow his brains out!” About the surrender Merrithew said after the surrender, “Only then did York and some fellow soldiers come out of their hiding.” When the 1941 movie “Sgt. York” was being filmed, Merrithew threatened legal action against Warner Brothers because they had not portrayed the German surrender as it actually took place, according to Times reporter Smith. In 1929, the Army awarded Early the DSC because they no longer could doubt his heroism. For whatever the reason Merrithew, long ignored, eventually received the Silver Star in 1964 when he recanted his former story. About the movie itself, the NYT July, 1941, movie review noted , “The movie was based on York’s diary.” Smith had reported that the diary had been ghost written by Tom Skeykill, an Australian soldier poet. According to Smith, York’s family has never made the real diary available to historians.York had refused to serve as a movie consultant opting only to request that star Gary Cooper play him. A far cry from real World War II hero Audie Murphy, who not only acted as a movie consultant for the war drama “To Hell and Back” but played himself to ensure the film’s accuracy. Murphy was the most decorated soldier of the second world war. Only six affidavits from soldiers supported York’s version. The Early family is on the hunt for letters sent by Early’s fellow soldiers which tell of Early’s heroics and debunk York’s version. Time will tell if the greatest military hoax \in history can be righted. John Carusone was mayor of Hamden from 1987-1991, assistant school super from '69-'82 and a legislative councilor from '65-'69. The Hamden native is now retired but stays active in town affairs -- and has a lot to say about them. (Note: The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Hamden Daily News.) ---- April 25, 2007 The Meadowbrook Park that Will Never Be ' By John Carusone I attended a meeting of the Meadowbrook Park Committee and came away with a real sense of sadness and frustration. While landscape architect Chris Fererro made a solid and professional presentation, it is sadly clear that because of the new school on Meadowbrook very little prime land is left to really develop what could have been Hamden’s Central Park. In 1991, I appointed Chris Rendiero, Goldenbells founder, to come up with suggestions to develop an entire golf course. He recommended a combination of active and passive recreation. For the active concepts he recommended a three-hole executive golf course with driving range capability, tennis courts, hiking and biking pathways, bocci courts and perhaps softball diamonds. For the passive activities he recommended picnic areas, a carousel, a band shell, a green area, a nature center, a garden center similar to the Pardee Rose Garden on Park Road, a resident or club planting area, along with the Veterans’ Memorial. Obviously, most of these suggestions will never come to fruition. There is one area that I believe should be incorporated into the new design. The Veteran’s Memorial site that was eliminated by the school building should be reintroduced into the new site plan. The one acre that was eliminated by the building should become a permanent part of the new plan. That space should be reserved for veterans' families that want to plant a shrub or put in a ground plaque or a bench just as we planned in the original 1989 memorial design. Further, that space should be dedicated to Hamden World War I hero Sgt. Bernard Early, who was the real hero of the 1918 battle of the Meuse-Argonne that saw Tennessee Cpl. Alvin York steal all the credit for that battle. As I said in previous columns, the York version of what happened that day continues to crumble. York himself refused any public comment on the battle other to release his ghost-written diary of what happened. When the Army reluctantly awarded Early the DSC, the New Haven area held a Bernie Early Day. York refused to attend. The Army’s recent attempt to make Jessica Lynch and Pat Tilman heroes of the Iraq war crumbled within weeks because of public and media scrutiny. York’s version would have crumbled in record time had his actions been scrutinized as closely. Some years ago Hamden World War I vet Fred Tyrell, who had been gassed in France and knew Early, commented, “The Germans couldn’t kill Bernie, but the Army sure did!” Fred McCarthy, legion commander of Post 88, in a letter commented: “Your first article takes me back in time to the fifties and our Sunday family gatherings. Most of my relatives were in the Army and often spoke of the injustice.” I think it is time that the people and town of Hamden tell the people and the state of Tennessee that we do not accept the hoax that was Cpl. Alvin York. ''John Carusone was mayor of Hamden from 1987-1991, assistant school super from '69-'82 and a legislative councilor from '65-'69. The Hamden native is now retired but stays active in town affairs -- and has a lot to say about them. (Note: The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Hamden Daily News.) New Haven's Version '''The Other Sixteen “To divide glory does not mean to diminish it.” New Haven Register (CT) June 6, 2008 Dedicated group trying to set 'Sergeant York' story straight. RANDALL BEACH Published: June 6, 2008 BERNARD EARLY WAS a modest man who never liked to talk about his war experiences or complain about his injuries. But after my column appeared May 25 about efforts by Early's descendants to honor this unassuming local hero, I received an email account from a man who shared some intimate, rewarding hours with Early in 1958. The anecdote by Jim Condon Sr. of Wallingford offers a rare glimpse into Early's feelings and frustrations. This is like discovering a historic never-before-seen photograph in an attic envelope. Maybe you know Early's story. I had never heard it until Robert D'Angelo Jr. of Woodbridge, Early's great-nephew, contacted me a few weeks ago. All I knew about the event came years ago from seeing the dopey, misleading movie "Sergeant York," starring Gary Cooper. The Hollywood tall tale played up Alvin York as the lone hero of a bloody World War I battle in the fields of France. According to this folk story, also promoted by Army officials at the time, York single-handedly killed 25 German soldiers with his crack shooting ability and rounded up another 132 of them. Sgt. Early was the commander of that unit, the one who led them into battle. There were 16 men besides York immersed in the combat that day, but they were almost completely forgotten. After the war, Early's supporters in his latter-day hometown of Hamden finally managed to win him some recognition. In 1929, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Early didn't say much at that time, except noting the guys who fought alongside him also deserved to be honored. York, incidentally, had received a Congressional Medal of Honor years earlier. Early had been seriously injured in the battle and was in a hospital for months, unaware that military officials were spinning a scenario with York as the main man. Early died at a young age, 68, in 1961, his war wounds probably contributing to his demise. His granddaughter, Karen Early Scott of North Haven, told me he rarely spoke about what happened on the battlefield. But she remembered he refused to watch that movie. The only time she asked him about it, he merely said, "It didn't happen that way." Three years before Early died, Condon had a chance meeting. Condon was looking for an apartment to rent on Front Street in New Haven and the superintendent turned out to be Early. Condon said Early had his own place there and invited Condon inside. After Early told Condon he was "the sergeant with Sgt. York," Condon, who had served in World War II and Korea, replied he knew the story well. Early then pulled out his scrapbook of newspaper clippings. "He was very proud of them," Condon wrote. "He did say that York was not the person who captured all the Germans. It was a team effort and not easy." "He asked how could they have believed the story 'it was he who captured them alone.' It made a great movie, but hard to believe he did this alone. He said it was not true and not fair for the men who died in this attempt and the ones who survived." Condon added, "I could tell as he gazed at his album it did bother him" that York got all the credit. "Veterans are lonely people. I still can see him slumped in his easy chair in the living room." Condon also told me, "I would like to see a statue built some place in New Haven, with 'the Sarge' standing there and the names of the men that were with him. I know he would be happy, not for himself but for his men. He was that kind of man." Former Hamden Mayor John Carusone, who has written columns about Early, told me a statue is "out of our means" but that he and two members of the Hamden American Legion, Fred McCarthy and Abner Oates, are working with D'Angelo on a resolution to have the town of Hamden install a commemorative plaque in front of Hamden Middle School. Carusone noted Early lived in Hamden in his later life, and both of Early's sons, Bernard Jr. and James, worked for the town. They are deceased, too. Carusone never met Early, but remembers seeing him from a distance one day. "He walked with a kind of a gimp, not a healthy walk. He was ailing." Carusone calls the Sgt. York story "a farce." He added, "History has to be straightened out." Copyright © 2008 New Haven Register Carusone's Breakdown of the Movie February 7, 2008 Early Shortchanged in Movie By John Carusone The Cpl. York saga continues. On Monday, March 3, public access TV will tape a one-hour show delving into the entire York escapade. Appearing on the panel will be yours truly and Karen Scott and Kevin Early, grandchildren of Hamden hero Sgt. Bernard Early, Bob D’Angelo, grandnephew of Bernard Early and Fred McCarthy and Abner Oakes of the Hamden Veteran’s Commission and Legion Post 88. As a result of that meeting, my task was to review the war drama “Sgt. York,” starring Gary Cooper, to determine how closely the movie actually reflects what really happened. Well, the historical verdict is clear. This movie is a self-serving story based on York’s diary. York had complete script control, was able to name Cooper to play his role and was given an additional $50,000 to begin a bible school in Tennessee. The movie was made at the urging of President Roosevelt in order to drum up public support for our eventual entry into the second world war. In fact, it was designed to be a political docudrama with little attention to the actual facts of the famous battle in 1918. Let me list some of the more obvious factual errors in the movie. The initial scene showing scores of men being slaughtered never happened. The purpose of the patrol, headed by Sgt. Early, was to locate and help the famous lost battalion. The gobble-gobble sequence where York kills scores of Germans never happened. The entire battle sequence where only York is shooting while “the rest of the men were guarding prisoners” never happened. The scene when a captured German lobs a grenade that kills York’s screen buddy “pusher” never happened. What’s sillier about this scene is that the German has an American hand grenade with a kill distance of 25-50 yards. Only pusher is killed. Yours truly has experience with hand grenades and machineguns, so let me continue about the machineguns in the battle. In the movie, a captured German officer says 25 machineguns were in the battle. York later claimed 35. The actual total was two to four. Interviews in 1929 with surviving German soldiers verified the lower number. York’s movie and real-life explanation as to how he exposed himself to 25 to 35 machine guns and was unscathed was because, “the good lord was watching me.” York supposedly killed six to 10 Germans with his pistol when he was charged by a German bayonet attack by “killing the last man first just as he did hunting turkeys in Tennessee.” This scene was so preposterous that the event was even left out of York’s Medal of Honor citation. I have also fired a 45 pistol. That weapon has a kick like a mule. To get off consecutive accurate shots is just plain hard to believe. In the movie ad, York has a German luger pistol. Apparently Warner Bros. technical advisors did not know the difference between a 45 and a luger or the difference between an American and German grenade. The Germans used a grenade with a wooden handle known as the “potato masher.” Let’s put this entire York saga in perspective. In 1918, America needed a hero and York fit the PR image. In 1940, America needed a hero to prepare America for our entry into World War II. York fit the bill again. The actual facts of the day in this writer’s opinion can conclude that York received far more credit than he deserved and Hamden Sgt. Bernard Early received far less credit than he deserved. When we finish taping the program, I will notify readers when the show will be aired. Our research has come up with startling facts and comments from soldiers who were there that day. Our goal is to have the town of Hamden get behind our efforts to straighten out this tale and then to involve other communities who also had soldiers in that battle who went unrecognized. Already, the Waterbury Republican has noted an interest because of feature stories it broke years ago about this battle. John Carusone was mayor of Hamden from 1987-1991, assistant school super from '69-'82 and a legislative councilor from '65-'69. The Hamden native is now retired but stays active in town affairs -- and has a lot to say about them. (Note: The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Hamden Daily News.) ------- March 7, 2008 Early’s Truth Coming to a Small Screen Near You By John Carusone We have just finished taping “Fact or Fiction-The Military Saga of Sgt. Alvin York.” The program will air on March 13, 20 and 27 at 9 p.m. on Channel 26. I urge all residents to watch the show, since many previously unknown facts will be brought to the public’s attention for the first time. Here’s a sampling. Soldiers who took part in that famous battle in 1918 who saw York get a lion’s share of the credit, under the prodding of David Kornacki’s grandfather Joseph hatched a plan in the 1920s to kill York. The plan was never carried out. Courtney O’Donnell’s great grandfather Otis Merrithew was also offered a DSC (Distinguished Service Cross) in the 1930s by 82nd Regimental historian Col. T.E. Buxton, if he would keep quiet about the truth of the purported exploits of York. I believe that’s called blackmail. Buxton, a strong supporter of York, was pictured in the movie “Sgt. York” as York’s commanding officer who gave York two weeks off to go home to speak to God. During a previous battle York was threatened by Early to fight or Early would “blow his brains out.” Kornacki noted a family story that purportedly his grandfather threatened to shoot York if York did not shoot Germans. When Early was awarded the DSC in 1929, President Herbert Hoover sent a telegram to the Early family with the words: “The DSC means damn slow coming.” Courtney O’Donnell will be submitting an affidavit stating the German luger pistol that was handed to her great grandfather Otis Merrithew when the Germans surrendered was in the family until the 1980s when it was pawned. In a previous column, I noted that Hoover offered scholarships to the Early brothers and sister since he was quite aware of the shortcomings of York’s version of what happened on Oct. 8, 1918, in the Argonne Forest. We intend to make this tape or DVD available to all Connecticut cable access regions. It will also be shown on cable access channels of a number of New England states where relatives of soldiers who took part in that battle are living now. Bob D’Angelo, of our committee, has already contacted seven such relatives. The tape and DVD will also be sent to the York Foundation in Tennessee and we hope to get a response from them. The History Press has contacted me and wants us to publish the true accounts of that battle. All of this because our government and the French government are planning a monument in France at the purported site of the battle with only the name of York on it. Our committee’s purpose is to see to it that every one of the 17 soldiers who took part in the battle receives equal recognition on that monument including the six who were killed outright. John Carusone was mayor of Hamden from 1987-1991, assistant school super from '69-'82 and a legislative councilor from '65-'69. The Hamden native is now retired but stays active in town affairs -- and has a lot to say about them. (Note: The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Hamden Daily News.)